BENTONG: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim warned that parties found hoarding rice in the country would be brought to court.

The Prime Minister said, on Monday (Oct 2), that he had given the directive to Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu to ensure that the ministry’s enforcement officers monitor the issue and take actions against violators.

"Yes, there are complaints by the people everywhere, the price of rice in Indonesia has also gone up as President Jokowi said was because 18 rice supplying countries have blocked, stopped or reduced their rice exports, so here there is a demand and supply issue.

"Then there are those who hoard, keep their rice, anyone who dares to carry out this dastardly act to capitalise on the people’s misery will face the full brunt of the law,” he said.

Anwar, who is also Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, said this in his speech at the Ceramah Mega Perpaduan Madani at Dataran Simpang Pelangai in conjunction with the Pelangai state by-election here on Monday night.

Also present were Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and BN candidate for the Pelangai state by-election Datuk Amizar Abu Adam.

Earlier, Mohamad Sabu had said the Prime Minister had agreed to four additional interventions to be implemented to resolve the issue of rice supply in the country, including the launching of the Special Integrated Enforcement Task Force for White Rice (OP BPT).

Meanwhile, Anwar who is also the Finance Minister, said the governmment was always looking for avenues to resolve the issue of rice but acknowledged that some time was needed.

"We try, but can the issue be solved 100%? No, the issue of rice is a serious issue, therefore I said give it a week and monitor the situation, if not resolved, we will continue discussions before tabling the 2024 Budget on Oct 13.

"That is why we are trying, for rice, we are going to increase the subsidy to the tune of RM400mil for a few months. The rice issue is not limited to the Peninsula but Sabah and Sarawak are also affected,” he said when speaking at the ‘Segalanya Felda Carnival’ at Dataran Niaga Felda Chemomoi, here Monday night.

Anwar added that the government has decided to channel the subsidy of RM400mil to premises like army camps, police and school hostels to use imported rice, so that there will be more local white rice available in the market. - Bernama